The present invention relates to apparatus for sectioning a continuous web of material. Web sectioning apparatus is described in U.S. patent application Nos. 941,497 filed Sept. 11, 1978 and 967,782 filed Dec. 8, 1978, both of which are assigned to the same assignee as the assignee of the present application and both of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entirety. The apparatus described in such prior copending applications includes a drum and a rotary knife assembly which are mounted on parallel axes. The web to be sectioned is carried on the drum. The drum and the knife assembly are rotated so that the cutting edges of the knife assembly, which extend parallel to the axis of the knife assembly, will repetitively engage the drum and cut the web along lines transverse to its direction of elongation. Such apparatus is frequently used for sectioning cigarette tipping paper.
As will be readily appreciated, each of the cutting edges of the knife assembly must precisely engage the surface of the drum. If the cutting edges engage the drum surface too forcefully, they will rapidly become dull; if the cutting edges do not touch the drum surface they will not cut the web cleanly. The knife assembly described in said copending application Ser. No. 967,782 provides means for precisely adjusting the position of each cutting edge relative to the axis of rotation of the knife assembly.
However, prior to the present invention there has been a long felt need for web sectioning apparatus which is so constructed that the axis of rotation of the knife assembly may be precisely and repeatedly adjusted towards or away from the drum to control the degree of engagement of the cutting edges with the drum surface, but in which the axis of rotation of the knife assembly will be securely maintained in position after adjustment during operation of the apparatus.